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2015 Australian Grand Prix
|poletime = 1:26.327 |fastestlap = |fastestlapdriver = |fastestlapnation = |fastestlapteam = |fastestlapnumber = |winner = |winnernation = |winnerteam = |second = |secondnation = |secondteam = |third = |thirdnation = |thirdteam =}} The 2015 Australian Grand Prix (formally the 2015 Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix) is the first race of the 2015 Formula One season. The race is the 80th Australian Grand Prix, the 31st time as a round of the Formula One World Championship and the 20th F1 race to be held at the Albert Park Circuit. Lewis Hamilton will enter the race as World Champion. An accident in testing prevented Fernando Alonso from taking part in the race, and Kevin Magnussen took his place for the race. Hamilton took pole position, over half a second ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg. The duo were clear of the remainder of the field, with Felipe Massa only managing to lap with 1.4 seconds of Hamilton. 's return saw them not make it to the track at all, while the new partnership started off in disastrous fashion, as Jenson Button and Magnussen locked out the back row. __TOC__ Background Soft "option" and medium "prime" tyres will be used for the Grand Prix. As a result of recommendations made in the light of the Jules Bianchi's crash, the start time will be pushed forward one hour from previous seasons to 16:00 local (05:00 UTC) to ensure that sunset does not occur before the four-hour time limit. Fernando Alonso will miss the Grand Prix on medical advice following his crash at the first Barcelona test. Kevin Magnussen, who finished second at this track in 2014, will replace him. A week before the race, former driver Giedo van der Garde began a launch of legal action towards in the Victorian Supreme Court, saying that they broke a promise to have him race for the team in the 2015 season, and had decided to use Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr instead. A judgement took place on 11 March to see if van der Garde would take one of the seats, while Sauber's lawyer Rodney Garratt stated that he would risk his life in a car that is not experienced for him. Van der Garde won the challenge, with the team being ordered by the court to let him race in the Grand Prix. However, Sauber made a public announcement that they will not have their and other drivers' safety compromised by having him drive for the first time in the C34 car. They later submitted an appeal towards the verdict beside lawyers who were representing Ericsson and Nasr. The appeal was arguing that the team terminated van der Garde's contract in February with the FIA's Contract Recognition Board being approved, as well as that the contract's confidentiality clauses were violated by van der Garde when he discussed it to the media. The lawyers who represented Nasr and Ericsson also said that the proper legal avenues were not obeyed by van der Garde, because the action was not informed to their clients until van der Garde committed his motion However, the Supreme Court of Victoria dismissed Sauber's appeal, ordering them to let van der Garde race, although the FIA's entry list did not include van der Garde. With the team due in court on 14 March, van der Garde's lawyer threatened to have the principal Monisha Kaltenborn fined or even arrested. After they exited administration and received a new investment, confirmed that they will compete in the Grand Prix, with the drivers being Will Stevens and Roberto Merhi. Merhi had signed for a one-race deal. Marussia will use an updated version of the MR03 car with the correct designs for the 2015 technical regulations. Entry list Practice Overview FP1 Nico Rosberg set the fastest time of 1:29.557, 0.029 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Before the session ended, Sebastian Vettel slid on the dirt, but he was still able to get the fifth fastest time. Felipe Massa's fastest time was between Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen respectively. Massa's teammate Valtteri Bottas was third fastest. Due to Sauber's legal problems with whether Giedo van der Garde should take part or not, none of their drivers came out onto the track. Will Stevens and Roberto Merhi were unable to take part due to Marussia's cars not being prepared. Problems occurred on the car of Romain Grosjean, who had the slowest time. His teammate Pastor Maldonado, however, had no problems getting into ninth ahead of Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat respectively. Following a spin by Ricciardo on Turn 15, he and Kvyat did not seem to be happy with the driveability of the power unit. Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen were fourteenth and fifteenth respectively, after their McLaren cars received small mechanical issues during the session. FP2 Once again, Rosberg beat Hamilton in the second practice session, although Rosberg made a complaint that his DRS was not operable. Behind them both were Vettel and Räikkönen respectively, though Räikkönen complained the lack of grip on his car's front end. While Bottas got the fifth fastest time, Massa could not compete due to a water leak. Kvyat, who was sixth fastest, complained about having understeer. Carlos Sainz, Jr., whose time was behind Kvyat's, spun at Turn 15, but it did not stop him from setting his fastest time. Following an hydraulic leak on his car, Grosjean spun on the circuit, while Maldonado complained about losing power. However, they were able to get the eighth and ninth fastest times respectively, ahead of Nico Hülkenberg, who made a complaint about his aero balance not being great. Despite orders to let van der Garde race, Sauber had both Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson take part in the second practice session. Nasr finished eleventh, but Ericsson was fifteenth when he made hard contact with the exit kerb at Turn 15, breaking his left-rear suspension. Force India's other driver Sergio Pérez was twelfth fastest ahead of Button, who suffered from power loss. Max Verstappen was only able to go fourteenth. Button's teammate Magnussen was slowest after he made an incorrect approach to Turn 6, losing the rear end of the car, and crashed into the barriers 17 minutes following the start of the session. While the car was being recovered, the session was red-flagged for seven minutes. He later said on his Twitter account that the crash was his mistake. Ricciardo did not compete due to a change of his engine required. Due to their software match-up problems continuing, neither of Marussia's drivers went onto the track. FP3 Practice Results Qualifying Q1 Q2 Q3 Qualifying Results Grid Note: * * Valtteri Bottas is being treated for back pain and may not race. Race Report Post-race Results Fastest laps Laps in the lead Stints Totals Milestones *Max Verstappen will be the youngest driver to start a World Championship race at the age of 17 years and 166 days. **Also the debut for Carlos Sainz, Jr., Felipe Nasr and Roberto Merhi. **First Grand Prix start for a Dutch driver since the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix. *Daniil Kvyat's first race for Red Bull, Sebastian Vettel's first race for Ferrari, and Marcus Ericsson's first race for Sauber. *Due to his accident, this is the first time Fernando Alonso has missed a Grand Prix in his 14-year career. *Sebastian Vettel's first race at any other team than Red Bull since the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix. It is also his first Grand Prix at any other team than Red Bull and their sister team since the 2007 United States Grand Prix. *20th Grand Prix starts for Daniil Kvyat and Kevin Magnussen. *First Grand Prix not to feature a car #1 since the 1994 Australian Grand Prix. Standings after race Notes External links *Official website Category:Grand Prix articles Category:Australian Grand Prix Category:2015 Grands Prix